Open Disappointment: Injury Forces Nadal Out of U.S. Open

ByJeremy Gordon

Rafael Nadal won’t defend his title at the U.S. Open due to a wrist injury.

Associated Press

Think of Rafael Nadal, and you think of desperate speed, lassoing foreheads, a will that says never-give-up—thoughts that are less the make of legend, and more the after result of staring at his remarkable career. There will come a day when all that has to end, though, and after the Spaniard player withdrew from the upcoming U.S. Open, it seems that might be sooner than later.

Nadal is still, on most days, the best player in the world; he’s the defending U.S. Open champion, and won this year’s French Open. But the wear and tear of his physical style means something is always hurting. Some days, it’s his back; other days, it’s his knee. Now, it’s his wrist, and after a substandard result during the grass season, it looks like Nadal will look ahead to 2015 rather than finish the year out. The decision came Monday morning after a few days delay, creating the possibility that Nadal might be able to pull it together.

“Given that the injury was to the right wrist of the left-handed star, it was conceivable Nadal could try and play through the pain, which would theoretically be worst when he hit his two-handed backhand,” Chris Chase writes for USA Today. “In the end, it wasn’t to be. Nadal will miss his third Slam in the past two years and becomes the first player to not defend his Grand Slam title since Juan Martin Del Potro missed the 2011 U.S. Open with a wrist injury.”

The decision will have an immediate impact on the rest of the field. Now, Roger Federer leaps up to the pack of favorites, given his strong showing at Wimbledon amidst a rejuvenated 2014. Now, Novak Djokovic could make it a two Slam season after turning it around at Wimbledon, even as he’s admitted he hasn’t been playing well as of recently. “Maybe he’s getting used to his new life situation, as married man and soon-to-be-father,” writes Steve Tignor for Tennis.com. “Maybe, after the emotional roller coaster of the French and Wimbledon, he found it hard to get up for Toronto and Mason, Ohio.” Andy Murray could turn around a disappointing 2014 by recapturing the first title he ever won; a newcomer—the big-serving Milos Raonic or precociously roguish Grigor Dimitrov—could burst through the pack.

It’s all up in the air, given Rafa’s exit. What’s bad for him—and possibly, bad for the sport if one of its greatest draws is out—might be good for everyone else.

* * *

Despite on you you’re watching with, ornate touchdown celebrations—the type that begin with exaggerated dancing and end with Randy Moss fake pulling his pants down—are a stain on the game, transforming what should be a very solemn occasion into a showboating showcase. For everyone else, it’s just kind of funny. But the NFL typically disagrees, and has instituted a series of increasingly prohibitive rules preventing players from celebrating too much, lest they offend someone. Enter what’s known as the Jimmy Graham Rule, which was created because of the New Orleans Saints’ tight end’s proclivity for dunking the ball through the goal posts following a score—an activity that dislodged the goal posts at least once last season. That’s admittedly annoying, and so Graham—or anyone with him in mind—would be fined from here on out.

But Graham is Graham, and is still adjusting to the prohibition. On Friday night, he dunked the ball twice during the Saints’ preseason win against the Tennessee Titans, and was promptly fined for it. This led to a tense exchange with coach Sean Payton, and the subsequent pearl-clutching from columnists who couldn’t believe how selfish Graham was acting. A football player! Having fun in the preseason! Was he for real? Cooler heads did prevail, though. “Is it annoying for the league to make dunking illegal? Yes. Absolutely. Does it fall under the ‘No Fun League’ complaint many people have with pro football? It sure does,” Will Brinson writes for CBS Sports. “But is it smart of Graham to keep the officials on high alert for his post-touchdown actions (when he led the league in receiving touchdowns last year)? No way.” It’s silly, but so is the preseason.

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